I travelled from West Hamstead To Tulse Hill the other day; the first time I've been through the Snow Hill Tunnel route for quite some time. The journey between St. Pancras and Farringdon was much faster and smoother than previously. Before, the trains used to move very slowly and the wheels used to screech as they negotiated the tight bends.

I had always assumed that the reason for the slow movement and the loud screeching was that the line had originally been built cheaply and that there was no scope for re-aligning the track. Does anyone know how much work has been done on the section between Farringdon and St. Pancras International and if further improvements are planned?

In the 1960s my route to work was Palmers Green to Moorgate. Does the route between Farringdon and Finsbury Park still exist?

"Robin9" wrote in message
...

I had always assumed that the reason for the slow movement and the loud
screeching was that the line had originally been built cheaply and that
there was no scope for re-aligning the track. Does anyone know how much
work has been done on the section between Farringdon and St. Pancras
International and if further improvements are planned?

There have been closures most weekends for about two years, ample time for
them to completely refit the track, and I think one of the current items of
work is full resignalling with shorter block lengths and four aspects - this
is being done in discreet sections, but if they've covered the bit in
question it may have made journeys less 'stop start', IYSWIM.

In the 1960s my route to work was Palmers Green to Moorgate. Does the
route between Farringdon and Finsbury Park still exist?

No longer possible, the 'Hotel curve' tunnel that connected the 'widened
lines' to the GN, (which had been out of use anyway since the 70s
resignalling), has been obliterated by the LU northern ticket hall project.
The equivalent up route, the York Rd curve is not much use on its own, but
is still there with track removed throughout AFAICT - and used for NR
maintenance access to various items of electrification and signalling
equipment located underground...

Paul S

On 2011-09-23 17:59:23 +0000, Paul Scott said:

"Robin9" wrote in message
...

I had always assumed that the reason for the slow movement and the loud
screeching was that the line had originally been built cheaply and that
there was no scope for re-aligning the track. Does anyone know how much
work has been done on the section between Farringdon and St. Pancras
International and if further improvements are planned?

There have been closures most weekends for about two years, ample time for
them to completely refit the track, and I think one of the current items of
work is full resignalling with shorter block lengths and four aspects - this
is being done in discreet sections, but if they've covered the bit in

SShhh! Don't tell everyone!

Paul Scott wrote on 23 September 2011
18:59:23 ...
wrote in message
...

I had always assumed that the reason for the slow movement and the loud
screeching was that the line had originally been built cheaply and that
there was no scope for re-aligning the track. Does anyone know how much
work has been done on the section between Farringdon and St. Pancras
International and if further improvements are planned?

There have been closures most weekends for about two years, ample time for
them to completely refit the track, and I think one of the current items of
work is full resignalling with shorter block lengths and four aspects - this
is being done in discreet sections, but if they've covered the bit in
question it may have made journeys less 'stop start', IYSWIM.

In the 1960s my route to work was Palmers Green to Moorgate. Does the
route between Farringdon and Finsbury Park still exist?

No longer possible, the 'Hotel curve' tunnel that connected the 'widened
lines' to the GN, (which had been out of use anyway since the 70s
resignalling), has been obliterated by the LU northern ticket hall project.
The equivalent up route, the York Rd curve is not much use on its own, but
is still there with track removed throughout AFAICT - and used for NR
maintenance access to various items of electrification and signalling
equipment located underground...

From 2018, it will again be possible to travel from Farringdon to
Finsbury Park, as that route is one of the extensions being implemented
in the Thameslink Programme. Trains will run via St Pancras
International, and then by a new link to the ECML.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

Now, that is interesting. I wonder what the route will be. There used to be a route between Kentish Town and Harringay West via Upper Holloway (by-passing Finsbury Park of course) but the tunnel between Upper Holloway and Kentish Town seems to be no longer in use and perhaps no longer in existence. (When I first moved to Leyton in the mid 1970s the Goblin route did not go to Gospel Oak. It went via that tunnel to Kentish Town and sometimes St. Pancras. If it went that route today it would probably be more heavily patronised)

That may well be it. The information handed out has always given the impression - at least to me - that the weekend closures were solely to facilitate Crossrail and the rebuilding of Farringdon Station itself. Anyway I'm glad that screeching has been subdued. It used to set my teeth on edge!

On Sep 23, 11:08*pm, Robin9 wrote:
'Richard J.[_3_ Wrote: ;123243']
From 2018, it will again be possible to travel from Farringdon to
Finsbury Park, as that route is one of the extensions being implemented

in the Thameslink Programme. *Trains will run via St Pancras
International, and then by a new link to the ECML.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

Now, that is interesting. I wonder what the route will be. There used to
be a route between Kentish Town and Harringay West via Upper Holloway
(by-passing Finsbury Park of course) but the tunnel between Upper
Holloway and Kentish Town seems to be no longer in use and perhaps no
longer in existence. (When I first moved to Leyton in the mid 1970s the
Goblin route did not go to Gospel Oak. It went via that tunnel to
Kentish Town and sometimes St. Pancras. If it went that route today it
would probably be more heavily patronised)

--
Robin9

The curve that linked Upper Holloway to Kentish Town was lifted in
1981 when the service was diverted to Gospel Oak.

I am not sure if the GOBLIN would be more heavily patronised if it did
go back to Kentish Town. It now forms a useful interchange with the
Richmond - Stratford line, and if you go there in the morning peak and
see a GOBLIN service terminating, you will see a solid wall of people
get off and go to Plaftorm 1 to catch the Richmond/Clapham Junction
train.

Patronage of the GOBLIN has gone up since the service was increased to
four trains per hour.

"Robin9" wrote in message
...

'Richard J.[_3_ Wrote:
;123243']
From 2018, it will again be possible to travel from Farringdon to
Finsbury Park, as that route is one of the extensions being implemented

in the Thameslink Programme. Trains will run via St Pancras
International, and then by a new link to the ECML.

Now, that is interesting. I wonder what the route will be.

The link is by tunnel immediately north of St Pancras low level station,
(the routes can be seen from the platform ends - the down side dives under
the running lines) to a flat junction with the ECML slows immediately north
of the Gasworks tunnels. The civil engineering was completed a few years
ago, the track is yet to be installed.

Paul S

Robin9 wrote on 23 September 2011
23:08:49 ...
'Richard J.[_3_ Wrote:
;123243']
From 2018, it will again be possible to travel from Farringdon to
Finsbury Park, as that route is one of the extensions being implemented
in the Thameslink Programme. Trains will run via St Pancras
International, and then by a new link to the ECML.

Now, that is interesting. I wonder what the route will be.

The redevelopment of St Pancras included a new link from just north of
the new Thameslink platforms to the ECML. The tunnels are complete, but
may not have any track in them yet. It's two single-track bored tunnels
for most of the way, then a short section of double-track cut-and-cover,
emerging into a concrete-walled cutting. You can see the cutting on
Google's satellite view immediately south of the western end of the
covered bridge that carries HighSpeed 1 over the ECML.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

On 23/09/2011 18:59, Paul Scott wrote:
"Robin9" wrote in message
...

I had always assumed that the reason for the slow movement and the loud
screeching was that the line had originally been built cheaply and that
there was no scope for re-aligning the track. Does anyone know how much
work has been done on the section between Farringdon and St. Pancras
International and if further improvements are planned?

There have been closures most weekends for about two years, ample time for
them to completely refit the track, and I think one of the current items of
work is full resignalling with shorter block lengths and four aspects -
this is being done in discreet sections, but if they've covered the bit in
question it may have made journeys less 'stop start', IYSWIM.

A lot of the closures have been for work at Farringdon, including
ferrying of materials, and men, thereto from Kentish Town. I don't
think any track realignment is possible without serious tunnelling and
moving St Pancras's main arches! Southbound trains are probably quieter
because they are now starting from the platform at SPI and so not going
so fast round the S-bend there. Northbound trains still drown their own
announcements as they enter the platform!

I agree that resignalling has been happening in stages but doubt whether
it has yet affected speeds.

Peter Lawrence